DES MOINES – The filing period for Iowa candidates seeking to appear on the ballot for the June 2 primary election begins Monday, February 23 and runs through Friday, March 13 at 5:00 p.m. Primary candidates must submit the necessary paperwork to the Iowa Secretary of State’s Office.
Candidates running for their party’s primary election for federal offices (U.S. Senator and U.S. Representative), state executive offices (Governor & Lt. Governor, Secretary of State, Auditor of State, Treasure of State, Secretary of Agriculture, and Attorney General), and candidates for the Iowa General Assembly (State Senator and State Representative) must submit both an affidavit of candidacy and nomination petitions during this period in order to qualify for ballot access in the June 2 primary.
The February 23-March 13 filing window is only applicable to candidates seeking the Democratic or Republican nomination for the November 4 general election. Candidates with no party affiliation or affiliated with a non-party political organization (NPPO) cannot appear on a primary election ballot. These candidates must file during the general election filing period to have their names placed on the general election ballot. These candidates may file for the general election between February 23 and June 2. Primary candidates running for county office must file their paperwork with their local County Auditor between March 2 and March 20.
“Running for office is one of the most important ways Iowans can actively participate in our democracy,” said Iowa Secretary of State Paul Pate. “We take the responsibility of receiving and accepting candidate paperwork very seriously. Our team is committed to assisting all candidates with integrity – ensuring elections in Iowa are accessible, transparent, secure, and fair.”
State and federal primary candidates can submit their paperwork to the Iowa Secretary of State’s Office between 8:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. (Note, the Lucas Building Office will be open until 5:00 p.m. on Friday, March 13):
- The Iowa State Capitol Building, First Floor Room 105, 1007 E Grand Ave., Des Moines, IA
- The Lucas State Office Building, First Floor, 321 E. 12th, Des Moines, IA
Additional information on the number of signatures needed for petitions for each state and federal office, and other information on filing candidate paperwork is available at sos.iowa.gov/voters/candidates
Candidates whose papers are received and accepted by the Iowa Secretary of State’s Office will be added to a list on the Iowa Secretary of State’s website. Candidates who submit their paperwork may also have their pictures taken with Secretary Pate or his staff at the Capitol Office after delivering their petitions. These pictures are posted on the Secretary of State’s social media channels. Photos with candidates do not indicate endorsements.
